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Archive for the ‘cartoon’ Category

Sharon Murdoch, 2016 Canon Cartoonist of the Year, is a bold new voice in New Zealand cartooning. As the regular cartoonist for the Sunday Star Times and the Press, she provokes and delights readers with her witty and often hilarious observations, and her hard-hitting and insightful social and political analysis.

In Murdoch, Melinda Johnston’s commentary sets the cartoons within their historical context, while her introduction locates the work within New Zealand’s cartooning history. Featuring over 150 full-page cartoons, which highlight the breadth and depth of Sharon Murdoch’s work, this book will entertain and educate any reader with an interest in New Zealand’s contemporary social and political history.

Potton & Burton

Supplied by Potton & Burton

Reviewed by Steve

As a working cartoonist, Sharon Murdoch has been around for over 20 years. As a political cartoonist, the timespan is considerably shorter. And as an editorial political cartoonist… Melinda Johnston provides the text that puts the selected cartoons in context – when a topic is hot, cartoons need no explanation, but several years later, even key players may need to be re-identified.

The book covers the range of Murdoch’s career: Munro the Cat from the crossword page of the Dominion Post, cartoons for the Xhosa Community and Child Development Centre when she worked in South Africa, commentary cartoons, and political cartoons. Her style is distinctive and more caricature than, say, Tom Scott or Neville Lodge who preceded her at the Evening Post.

What sets Murdoch apart from most other New Zealand cartoonists is both she is a woman and is of Maori, Ngai Tahu, descent. This gives her a different perception of events. Frequently, Murdoch will draw a strip cartoon, instead of a single frame, which allows a narrative instead of a one line. Again, this is a departure from the norm for political cartooning.

A book of cartoons is naturally going to be a quicker read than a series of essays. Johnston’s text is not intrusive and the selection of cartoons is good. I enjoyed the book immensely and recommend it to anyone.

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Ever been to a dinner with friends and some other guest has started spouting complete bollocks? But you don’t say anything because it’s just not polite? Tim Minchin found himself in such a situation a few years ago. He remained polite. But inside he cracked, and this book is the result.

Minchin has provided the story, which is lovingly introduced by Neil Gaiman. Who describes the story as a beat poem. Certainly Minchin has delivered it live on stage on more than one occasion. It’s also available on Youtube with animation by King and Turner, along with several live stage presentations. Also explained is the gensis of the King-Turner illustrations which add to the beauty of the story/poem/Dr Seuss homage but with less silliness.

Don’t get me wrong, Dr Seuss is a very apt comparison for the presentation of this tale: the cartoons add to the flow and drama of the text. Apart from a couple of swear words this could easily be part of the junior curriculum. It might get more people interested in thinking.

The book, which is only about 80 unnumbered pages, so maybe it’s a bit bigger than The Cat in the Hat or Green Eggs and Ham, ends with biographies of Minchin, King and Turner plus a few guest covers of editions that never will be (but that’s a nod to the cartoonists’ world) and then several absolutely brilliant short reviews on the back cover.

For the intelligent everywhere: buy it and read it to your kids. And yourself. Because both they and you deserve it, and will treasure it.